Because in 2003 everyone was as connected as they are now? In 2003 there was tons of Youtubers making reviews and complaining about how Alien game sucks, and how dmc2 sucks.
Oh thats right.. Youtube was created in 2005.
There was more then one way to see reviews on a game besides youtube back then. But either way that still rpoves the fact that because it had classic Dante (or in this case just Dante) people automatically got it because they loved DMC1.
Of course people bought dmc2 on faith alone. But DM said fanbase would buy dmc5 even if its mediocre just because of Dante.
This is my answer to that.
How about people who played dmc1 expected, similar or better experience for dmc2, so they bought it.
I said copy and paste of DMC4 with a few new things added. DMC2 was a whole other factor though.
And tell me, how come after dmc1, dmc2 sold well, and after dmc2 ...dmc3 sold bad and became worst selling game.
Was it because Dante was not in dmc3?
No because DMC3 Dante was nothing like DMC1 Dante, it was a prequwl and didn't continue the story, and no one liked DMC3 Dante at the time because he acted like a fratboy party asshole.
EDIT: reboot is the worst selling. I forgot.